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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rash — a series
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kid — child
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a dance
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. kid — to tease
  20. craft — boats
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com